How to Prevent Fungal Soils in Container Gardens

Prevent Fungal Soils in Container Gardens

Wondering how to prevent moldy soil in your container gardens? Here are some tricks you might want to know. I'll admit, I've wondered for years how to prevent moldy soil in my container gardens. At times it felt like a losing battle, and I'm sad to say that more than a few of my indoor plants suffered the consequences of my ignorance.

I still do a double take when I see something fuzzy and white in the soil of my indoor container garden, though these days, it's usually just some fur shed by my dog. But hey, just because some of my plants were killed by moldy soil doesn't mean you have to pass it up. Here's what I've learned about how to prevent moldy soil in a container garden.

How to Prevent Fungal Soil: 5 Ways to Keep Your Container Garden Healthy

First things first. At the beginning of this post I thought a little. It is not usually a mold that harms a plant. More precisely, conditions that allow mold to grow may not be ideal for plants. Wet soil, stagnant air, and low sunlight are great for mold, but it's a recipe for disaster for your plants. That's where to start thinking about how to prevent moldy soil. If you see mold, it could be a sign that your container garden needs some attention.

For me, it's often a combination of poor drainage and overwatering. I learned my lesson there. Container gardens can be tricky when it comes to watering because there are so many different container materials, some of which dry out quickly, while others barely drain. So that is the first way to prevent mold and thus other problems like root rot.

1. Pay attention to how moist your soil is. An easy way to do this is to dig your finger an inch or so into the soil and see if it's moist. Although the soil may appear dry on the surface, the moisture content is higher near the plant's roots.

2. Avoid those fancy decorative pots. It gets the drainage aspect of how to prevent moldy soil. Many of the beautifully painted and glazed pots lack drainage holes. The entire gardening world has "well-drained soil" tattooed on their brains, but somehow there's still a market for pots with no drainage holes. Yes, I've bought my fair share of these, but now I always have to look closely before I get too excited about a pot.

3. Maintain good air circulation. Especially in winter when all the windows are closed, that indoor herb garden doesn't get a breeze to help dry the leaves. You can move your container garden to a location with more ventilation or run a small fan near your plants for a couple of hours a day.

4. Keep the soil clean. What does that mean? That means it's important to pick up dead leaves or other things that are starting to rot.

5. Let there be light. Sunlight is probably the easiest way to prevent moldy soil. Make sure that not only your plants but also the soil gets plenty of sunlight. Remember, mold likes it dark and moist. Sunlight is the opposite.

What to do if you have moldy soil

It wouldn't be fair to talk about moldy soil without sharing some ideas on how to prevent it. Fortunately, the solution is fairly straightforward. Remove the mulched soil and spread cinnamon around the base of the plant. Next, clean the leaves with mild soap and water to remove any mold spores hiding there. Remember, though, that it's not necessarily the mold that's harming your plants—it's the conditions that allow the mold to grow. So once you have the mold removed, go back to the five steps above.

If you can, try to give your container garden some time outside. A little sunshine and fresh air goes a long way to keep plants (and people!) healthy and happy.